Champions League gain is Chelsea's pain, says Hazard

The players returned to training at Cobham yesterday after three days off as focus switches to Monday's league visit of West Brom to Stamford Bridge.

Manchester City are leading the Premier League title race having amassed a whopping 69 points from 26 games.

While sitting fourth in the Premier League and having qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League may be most clubs' dreams, its nearly been a season of nightmares for Chelsea.

Antonio Conte's side have been unable to keep pace with runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City during their title defence, with successive defeats to Bournemouth and Watford leaving them fourth, 19 points off top spot.

Now, last season's player of the year, Eden Hazard has offered a suggestion as to why last season's champions have struggled this season.

Arsene Wenger after The Emirates FA Cup Final between Arsenal and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium

"Last year we didn't have the Champions League".

Despite their disappointing form, Hazard still believes Chelsea can look back on this season as a success if they keep fighting in the cup competitions. This season we are not the same as last season, of course, and they are very good but in the end it is a cup tie and you never know what happens.

"That's why we love football. I'm pretty sure we can beat them if we play together".

Former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique and Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone have both been linked with Conte's job. Rooney said: "I think Chelsea are a great team".

Chelsea's crisis has come at the worst possible time with a Champions League round-of-16 tie against Barcelona looming large on the horizon, and Hazard told ESPN FC that European commitments have made life harder.

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